Putative tumour suppressor gene necdin is hypermethylated and mutated in human cancer.

BACKGROUND: Necdin (NDN) expression is downregulated in telomerase-immortalised normal human urothelial cells. Telomerase-immortalised normal human urothelial cells have no detected genetic alterations. Accordingly, many of the genes whose expression is altered following immortalisation are those for which epigenetic silencing is reported. METHODS: NDN expression was examined in normal tissues and tumour cell lines by quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting. Immunohistochemistry was performed on urothelial carcinoma (UC). Urothelial carcinoma and UC cell lines were subject to HumanMethylation27 BeadChip Array-based methylation analyses. Mutation screening was performed. The functional significance of NDN expression was investigated using retroviral-mediated downregulation or overexpression. RESULTS: NDN protein was widely expressed in normal tissues. Loss of expression was observed in 38 out of 44 (86%) of UC cell lines and 19 out of 25 (76%) of non-UC cell lines. Loss of NDN protein was found in the majority of primary UC. Oncomine analysis demonstrated downregulation of expression in multiple tumour types. In UC, tumour-specific hypermethylation of NDN and key CpG sites where hypermethylation correlated with reduced expression were identified. Six novel mutations, including some of predicted functional significance, were identified in colorectal and ovarian cancer cell lines. Functional studies showed that NDN could suppress colony formation at low cell density and affect anchorage-independent growth and anoikis in vitro. CONCLUSION: NDN is a novel tumour suppressor candidate that is downregulated and hypermethylated or mutated in cancer.

A master protocol to investigate a novel therapy acetyl-L-leucine for three ultra-rare neurodegenerative diseases: Niemann-Pick type C, the GM2 gangliosidoses, and ataxia telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: The lack of approved treatments for the majority of rare diseases is reflective of the unique challenges of orphan drug development. Novel methodologies, including new functionally relevant endpoints, are needed to render the development process more feasible and appropriate for these rare populations and thereby expedite the approval of promising treatments to address patients' high unmet medical need. Here, we describe the development of an innovative master protocol and primary outcome assessment to investigate the modified amino acid N-acetyl-L-leucine (Sponsor Code: IB1001) in three separate, multinational, phase II trials for three ultra-rare, autosomal-recessive, neurodegenerative disorders: Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC), GM2 gangliosidoses (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease; "GM2"), and ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). METHODS/DESIGN: The innovative IB1001 master protocol and novel CI-CS primary endpoints were developed through a close collaboration between the Industry Sponsor, Key Opinion Leaders, representatives of the Patient Communities, and National Regulatory Authorities. As a result, the open-label, rater-blinded study design is considerate of the practical limitations of recruitment and retention of subjects in these ultra-orphan populations. The novel primary endpoint, the Clinical Impression of Change in Severity© (CI-CS), accommodates the heterogenous clinical presentation of NPC, GM2, and A-T: at screening, the principal investigator appoints for each patient a primary anchor test (either the 8-m walk test (8MWT) or 9-hole peg test of the dominant hand (9HPT-D)) based on his/her unique clinical symptoms. The anchor tests are videoed in a standardized manner at each visit to capture all aspects related to the patient's functional performance. The CI-CS assessment is ultimately performed by independent, blinded raters who compare videos of the primary anchor test from three periods: baseline, the end of treatment, and the end of a post-treatment washout. Blinded to the time point of each video, the raters make an objective comparison scored on a 7-point Likert scale of the change in the severity of the patient's neurological signs and symptoms from video A to video B. To investigate both the symptomatic and disease-modifying effects of treatment, N-acetyl-L-leucine is assessed during two treatment sequences: a 6-week parent study and 1-year extension phase. DISCUSSION: The novel CI-CS assessment, developed through a collaboration of all stakeholders, is advantageous in that it better ensures the primary endpoint is functionally relevant for each patient, is able to capture small but meaningful clinical changes critical to the patients' quality of life (fine-motor skills; gait), and blinds the primary outcome assessment. The results of these three trials will inform whether N-acetyl-L-leucine is an effective treatment for NPC, GM2, and A-T and can also serve as a new therapeutic paradigm for the development of future treatments for other orphan diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The three trials (IB1001-201 for Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC), IB1001-202 for GM2 gangliosidoses (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff), IB1001-203 for ataxia telangiectasia (A-T)) have been registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03759639; NCT03759665; NCT03759678), www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu (EudraCT: 2018-004331-71; 2018-004406-25; 2018-004407-39), and https://www.germanctr.de (DR KS-ID: DRKS00016567; DRKS00017539; DRKS00020511).

Prevention of lysosomal storage in Tay-Sachs mice treated with N-butyldeoxynojirimycin.

The glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage diseases result from the inheritance of defects in the genes encoding the enzymes required for catabolism of GSLs within lysosomes. A strategy for the treatment of these diseases, based on an inhibitor of GSL biosynthesis N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, was evaluated in a mouse model of Tay-Sachs disease. When Tay-Sachs mice were treated with N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, the accumulation of GM2 in the brain was prevented, with the number of storage neurons and the quantity of ganglioside stored per cell markedly reduced. Thus, limiting the biosynthesis of the substrate (GM2) for the defective enzyme (beta-hexosaminidase A) prevents GSL accumulation and the neuropathology associated with its lysosomal storage.

NPC1 regulates ER contacts with endocytic organelles to mediate cholesterol egress.

Transport of dietary cholesterol from endocytic organelles to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is essential for cholesterol homoeostasis, but the mechanism and regulation of this transport remains poorly defined. Membrane contact sites (MCS), microdomains of close membrane apposition, are gaining attention as important platforms for non-vesicular, inter-organellar communication. Here we investigate the impact of ER-endocytic organelle MCS on cholesterol transport. We report a role for Niemann-Pick type C protein 1 (NPC1) in tethering ER-endocytic organelle MCS where it interacts with the ER-localised sterol transport protein Gramd1b to regulate cholesterol egress. We show that artificially tethering MCS rescues the cholesterol accumulation that characterises NPC1-deficient cells, consistent with direct lysosome to ER cholesterol transport across MCS. Finally, we identify an expanded population of lysosome-mitochondria MCS in cells depleted of NPC1 or Gramd1b that is dependent on the late endosomal sterol-binding protein STARD3, likely underlying the mitochondrial cholesterol accumulation in NPC1-deficient cells.

N-butyldeoxynojirimycin causes weight loss as a result of appetite suppression in lean and obese mice.

AIM: To determine the mechanism of weight loss caused by high doses of N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) in healthy lean and leptin-deficient obese (ob/ob) mice. METHODS: Healthy lean and obese mice were treated with NB-DNJ by the following methods: admixed with their diet, delivered by subcutaneously implanted mini-pumps or by intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection. Daily changes in body weight and food intake were recorded during the experimental period. The effect of NB-DNJ treatment on subcutaneous adipose tissue and on epididymal fat pads was measured. RESULTS: Lean mice treated with NB-DNJ, admixed with their diet, lost weight in the form of adipose tissue. This resulted in a 40% reduction in skin thickness (control, 358 +/- 11 microm; NB-DNJ treated 203 +/- 6 microm) and a reduction in epididymal fat pad weights after 5 weeks of treatment at 2400 mg/kg/day (control, 0.0154 +/- 0.001; NB-DNJ treated, 0.0026 +/- 0.0005 as ratios of fat pad weight to total body weight). Following the depletion of adipose tissue mass, the mice grew normally and did not have any reduction in lean mass. Obese mice treated with NB-DNJ also lost weight or gained weight at a greatly reduced rate compared with non-treated controls. Body weights at 6 months of age were: lean control, 29.10 +/- 1.15 g; lean NB-DNJ treated, 22.73 +/- 0.29 g; obese control, 63.25 +/- 1.5 g; obese NB-DNJ treated from 5 weeks of age, 35.30 +/- 1.68 g; obese NB-DNJ treated from 12 weeks of age, 38.84 +/- 1.26 g. Both the lean and obese groups of mice treated with NB-DNJ ate up to 30% less than untreated controls. Daily food intake (powder diet) were: lean control, 4.15 +/- 0.54 g; obese control, 4.14 +/- 0.2 g; lean NB-DNJ treated 2.9 +/- 0.37 g; obese NB-DNJ treated, 2.88 +/- 0.47 g. Mice treated with the N-substituted galactose imino sugar analogue, N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin (NB-DGJ) did not lose weight. Mice experienced similar weight loss or lack of weight gain when fed a restricted diet that mimics the drug-induced level of food consumption. Delivery of 2 nmol NB-DNJ by ICV injection into lean mice also caused similar reductions in food intake. Food intake: saline vehicle, 4.30 +/- 0.12 g; NB-DNJ, 3.37 +/- 0.19 g; NB-DGJ, 4.03 +/- 0.16 g; 2-deoxyglucose, 4.7 +/- 0.15 g. CONCLUSION: NB-DNJ causes weight loss as a result of reduced food consumption due to central appetite suppression.

Severe endothelial dysfunction in the aorta of a mouse model of Fabry disease; partial prevention by N-butyldeoxynojirimycin treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Fabry disease results from alpha-gala-ctosidase A deficiency and is characterized by the lysosomal accumulation of globotriaosylceramide. Globotriaosylceramide storage predominantly affects endothelial cells, altering vascular wall morphology and vasomotor function. Our objective was to investigate aortic globotriaosylceramide levels, morphology and function in a mouse model of Fabry disease, and the effect of substrate reduction therapy, using the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis inhibitor N-butyldeoxynojirimycin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice used were C57BL/6J and alpha-galactosidase A knockout (Fabry). We show progressive accumulation of aortic globotriaosylceramide throughout the lifespan of untreated Fabry mice (55-fold elevation at 2 months increasing to 187-fold by 19 months), localized to endothelial and vascular smooth-muscle cells; there was no effect on vascular wall morphology in young Fabry mice. In old mice, storage resulted in intimal thickening. Endothelial function declined with age in Fabry mouse aorta. Aortae from N-butyldeoxynojirimycin-treated Fabry mice at 19 months of age had reduced endothelial globotriaosylceramide storage, fewer morphological abnormalities and less severe vasomotor dysfunction compared with untreated littermates. CONCLUSION: We provide evidence of a novel vascular phenotype in the Fabry mouse that has relevance to vascular disease in Fabry patients. N-Butyldeoxynojirimycin treatment partially prevented the phenotype in the Fabry mouse by reducing endothelial globotriaosylceramide storage.

Deregulated Bcl-2-immunoglobulin transgene expands a resting but responsive immunoglobulin M and D-expressing B-cell population.

We characterized the basis for the follicular lymphoproliferation in transgenic mice bearing a Bcl-2-immunoglobulin (Bcl-2-Ig) minigene representing the t(14;18) of human follicular lymphoma. Discriminatory S1 nuclease protection assays revealed that the Bcl-2-Ig transgene was overexpressed relative to endogenous mouse Bcl-2 in spleen and thymus. Western (immunoblot) analysis demonstrated the overproduction of the human 25-kilodalton Bcl-2 protein, which arose from the transgene, in spleen, thymus, and the expanded B-cell subset. Despite the generalized lymphoid pattern of deregulation, two-color flow cytometry and density gradient centrifugation indicated that the expanded lymphocytes were predominantly small, resting B cells coexpressing B220, immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgD, Ia, and kappa. Cell cycle analysis confirmed that about 97% of these expanded B cells reside in G0/G1. An extensive characterization of transgenic lines revealed a fourfold excess of IgM-IgD-expressing B cells in spleen and dramatically increased numbers in bone marrow. While resting, these cells proliferated in response to lipopolysaccharide and anti-IgM and demonstrated normal B-cell colony formation in soft agar. Moreover, these B cells, which demonstrated an extended survival in vitro even in the absence of stroma, were also resting in G0, yet were capable of proliferative responses. These findings provide consistent evidence that the accumulation of B cells after Bcl-2 overproduction is secondary to prolonged cell survival and not increased cell cycling. This suggests a unique role for Bcl-2 as a proto-oncogene that enhances cell survival independent of promoting cell division.

Substrate deprivation: a new therapeutic approach for the glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage diseases.

The glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage diseases are a family of human metabolic diseases that, in their severest forms, cause death in early infancy, as a result of progressive neurodegeneration. They are caused by mutations in the genes encoding the glycohydrolases or the activator proteins that catabolise GSLs within lysosomes. In these diseases the GSL substrate of the defective enzyme accumulates in the lysosome, where it is stored and leads to cellular dysfunction and disease. The therapeutic options for treating these diseases are relatively limited; in fact, there are currently no available therapies for most of these disorders. The problem is further compounded by difficulties in delivering therapeutic agents to the central nervous system, which is where the pathology is frequently manifested. To date, research effort has mainly focused on strategies for augmenting enzyme concentrations to compensate for the underlying defect. These strategies include bone-marrow transplantation, enzyme-replacement therapy and gene therapy. Our group has been exploring the alternative strategy of substrate deprivation. This approach aims to balance the rate of GSL synthesis with the impaired rate of GSL breakdown. Studies using an asymptomatic mouse model of Tay-Sachs disease have shown that substrate deprivation prevents GSL storage. In a severe neurodegenerative mouse model of Sandhoff disease, substrate deprivation delayed the onset of symptoms and disease progression, and significantly increased life expectancy. The implications of this research for human therapy have been discussed.

New therapeutic prospects for the glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage diseases.

The glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage diseases result from mutations in the genes that encode the enzymes required for glycosphingolipid catabolism within lysosomes. They are relatively rare diseases, but are frequently severe in terms of their pathology. Many involve progressive neurodegeneration, and in the most severe forms result in death in early infancy. The therapeutic options for treating these diseases are limited, and for the majority of these disorders there are currently no therapies available. To date, most research has focused on correcting the genetic lesion by gene therapy or by augmenting the enzyme activity deficient in these patients by introducing fully functional enzyme. This can be achieved by bone marrow transplantation or intravenous infusion of purified or recombinant enzyme (enzyme replacement). Gene therapy and enzyme replacement therapy are disease specific, and pharmacological approaches for the treatment of these disorders have not been fully explored. In this commentary, the problems associated with disease therapy are discussed, and a pharmacological agent (N-butyldeoxynojirimycin) is presented for the potential generic treatment of this family of disorders. Successful prevention of glycosphingolipid storage in a mouse model of Tay-Sachs disease suggests that this strategy merits clinical evaluation.

N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin: a more selective inhibitor of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis than N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, in vitro and in vivo.

N-Butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) inhibits the ceramide glucosyltransferase which catalyses the first step in glycosphingolipid (GSL) biosynthesis. It has the potential to be used for the treatment of the GSL lysosomal storage diseases and is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of type 1 Gaucher's disease. However, NB-DNJ is also a potent inhibitor of other enzymes, including alpha-glucosidase I and II, which could potentially cause side effects in patients receiving life-long therapy. Wetherefore evaluated a potentially more selective GSL biosynthesis inhibitor, N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin (NB-DGJ), in vitro and in vivo. The distribution and degree of GSL depletion in the liver of mice treated with NB-DGJ or NB-DNJ were equivalent. Mice treated with NB-DGJ had normal body weights and lymphoid organ sizes, whereas NB-DNJ-treated mice showed weight loss and partial lymphoid organ shrinkage. NB-DNJ inhibited glycogen catabolism in the liver, whereas NB-DGJ did not. NB-DNJ was also a potent inhibitor of sucrase and maltase in vitro but not of lactase, while NB-DGJ inhibited lactase but not sucrase or maltase. NB-DGJ is therefore more selective than NB-DNJ, and deserves to be evaluated for human therapy.

Substrate reduction therapy for glycosphingolipid storage disorders.

Substrate reduction therapy is a novel approach to treating glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage disorders. These diseases are caused by mutations in the genes coding for enzymes involved in GSL catabolism and are characterised by the accumulation of GSL substrates within the lysosomes of cells. The aim of substrate reduction therapy is to inhibit the rate of synthesis of GSLs to levels where the residual activity of the mutant catabolic enzyme is sufficient to prevent pathological storage. In this review we discuss the development of N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ), an imino sugar that inhibits the ceramide-specific glucosyltransferase which catalyses the first committed step of GSL synthesis. This agent has been shown to slow accumulation of stored glycolipid in an in vitro model of Gaucher's disease and in knockout mouse models of Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases. Furthermore, administration of NB-DNJ to Sandhoff mice delays the onset of neurological disease and also slows its progression. We discuss safety and efficacy data from the clinical trial of substrate reduction with NB-DNJ which has been undertaken in patients with Type 1 Gaucher's disease. This trial provides a proof-of-principle for the use of this approach in a wide range of GSL lysosomal storage diseases.

New therapeutics for the treatment of glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage diseases.

Glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage diseases are a small but challenging group of human disorders to treat. Although these appear to be monogenic disorders where the catalytic activity of enzymes in glycosphingolipid catabolism is impaired, the presentation and severity of disease is heterogeneous. Treatment is often restricted to palliative care, but in some disorders enzyme replacement does offer a significant clinical improvement of disease severity. An alternative therapeutic approach termed "substrate deprivation" or "substrate reduction therapy" (SRT) aims to reduce cellular glycosphingolipid biosynthesis to match the impairment in catalytic activity seen in lysosomal storage disorders. N-Alkylated imino sugars are nitrogen containing polyhydroxylated heterocycles that have inhibitory activity against the first enzyme in the pathway for glucosylating sphingolipid in eukaryotic cells, ceramide-specific glucosyltransferase. The use of N-alkylated imino sugars to establish SRT as an alternative therapeutic strategy is described in cell culture and gene knockout mouse disease models. One imino sugar, N-butyl-DNJ (NB-DNJ) has been used in clinical trials for type 1 Gaucher disease and has shown to be an effective and safe therapy for this disorder. The results of these trials and the prospects of improvement to the design of imino sugar compounds for treating Gaucher and other glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage disorders will be discussed.

Inactivation of the Rb pathway and overexpression of both isoforms of E2F3 are obligate events in bladder tumours with 6p22 amplification.

E2F3 and CDKAL1 are candidate genes from the 6p22 region frequently amplified in bladder cancer. Expression of E2F3 isoforms (E2F3a and b) and CDKAL1 were examined and modulated in 6p22-amplified bladder cell lines. Eight lines with amplification showed overexpression of both E2F3 isoforms and CDKAL1. shRNA-mediated knockdown of CDKAL1 had no effect on proliferation. Knockdown of E2F3a or E2F3b alone induced antiproliferative effects, with the most significant effect on proliferation being observed when both isoforms were knocked down together. As E2Fs interact with the Rb tumour suppressor protein, Rb expression was analysed. There was a striking relationship between 6p22.3 amplification, E2F3 overexpression and lack of Rb expression. This was also examined in primary bladder tumours. Array-CGH detected 6p22.3 amplification in 8/91 invasive tumours. Five were studied in more detail. Four showed 13q14.2 loss (including RB1) and expressed no Rb protein. In the fifth, 13q was unaltered but the CDKN2A locus was deleted. This tumour was negative for p16 and positive for Rb protein. As p16 is a negative regulator of the Rb pathway, its loss represents an alternative mechanism for inactivation. Indeed, a phospho-specific Rb antibody showed much Rb protein in a hyperphosphorylated (inactive) form. We conclude that inactivation of the Rb pathway is required in addition to E2F3 overexpression in this subset of bladder tumours.

Substrate reduction reduces gangliosides in postnatal cerebrum-brainstem and cerebellum in GM1 gangliosidosis mice.

II3NeuAc-GgOse4Cer (GM1) gangliosidosis is an incurable lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency in acid beta-galactosidase (beta-gal), resulting in the accumulation of ganglioside GM1 and its asialo derivative GgOse4Cer (GA1) in the central nervous system, primarily in the brain. In this study, we investigated the effects of N-butyldeoxygalacto-nojirimycin (N B-DGJ), an imino sugar that inhibits ganglioside biosynthesis, in normal C57BL/6J mice and in beta-gal knockout (beta-gal-/-) mice from postnatal day 9 (p-9) to p-15. This is a period of active cerebellar development and central nervous system (CNS) myelinogenesis in the mouse and would be comparable to late-stage embryonic and early neonatal development in humans. N B-DGJ significantly reduced total ganglioside and GM1 content in cerebrum-brainstem (C-BS) and in cerebellum of normal and beta-gal-/- mice. N B-DGJ had no adverse effects on body weight or C-BS/cerebellar weight, water content, or thickness of the external cerebellar granule cell layer. Sphingomyelin was increased in C-BS and cerebellum, but no changes were found for cerebroside (a myelin-enriched glycosphingolipid), neutral phospholipids, or GA1 in the treated mice. Our findings indicate that the effects of N B-DGJ in the postnatal CNS are largely specific to gangliosides and suggest that N B-DGJ may be an effective early intervention therapy for GM1 gangliosidosis and other ganglioside storage disorders.

MRS reveals additional hexose N-acetyl resonances in the brain of a mouse model for Sandhoff disease.

Sandhoff disease, one of several related lysosomal storage disorders, results from the build up of N-acetyl-containing glycosphingolipids in the brain and is caused by mutations in the genes encoding the hexosaminidase beta-subunit. Affected individuals undergo progressive neurodegeneration in response to the glycosphingolipid storage. (1)H magnetic resonance spectra of perchloric acid extracts of Sandhoff mouse brain exhibited several resonances ca 2.07 ppm that were not present in the corresponding spectra from extracts of wild-type mouse brain. High-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry of the Sandhoff extracts post-MRS identified the presence of N-acetylhexosamine-containing oligosaccharides, which are the likely cause of the additional MRS resonances. MRS of intact brain tissue with magic angle spinning also showed additional resonances at ca 2.07 ppm in the Sandhoff case. These resonances appeared to increase with disease progression and probably arise, for the most part, from the stored glycosphingolipids, which are absent in the aqueous extracts. Hence in vivo MRS may be a useful tool for detecting early-stage Sandhoff disease and response to treatment.

Analysis and isolation of human transferrin receptor using the OKT-9 monoclonal antibody covalently crosslinked to magnetic beads.

A method is described for the use of magnetic beads as a solid phase for the immunoprecipitation of labeled proteins. The anti-human transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody OKT-9 has been coupled to sheep anti-mouse IgG1-coated magnetic beads using the crosslinking agent dimethyl pimelimidate. The transferrin receptor is readily detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography following immunoprecipitation from 35S-labeled cell lysates. When compared with precipitations using OKT-9 coupled to protein G Sepharose the magnetic beads result in fewer nonspecific bands. The protocol described is generally applicable to the identification of labeled proteins. In addition, because magnetic beads are amenable to covalent crosslinking procedures they can be used for the purification of proteins from complex mixtures. Covalently crosslinked OKT-9 sheep anti-mouse IgG1-coated magnetic beads have been used to affinity purify unlabeled transferrin receptor from cell lysates giving comparable purity and yield to transferrin Sepharose isolated transferrin receptor. The major advantages offered by magnetic beads compared to conventional affinity matrices are low nonspecific binding and the rapidity with which the purification can be performed.

Modulation of cell-surface transferrin receptor by the imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin.

The imino sugar, N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, is an inhibitor of the glycoprotein-processing enzyme glucosidase I and exhibits anti-(human immunodeficiency virus) activity in vitro. We have investigated the effect(s) of this compound on cell-surface glycoproteins by flow cytometry. We observed selective modulation of the transferrin receptor in response to treatment with 0.5 mM N-butyldeoxynojirimycin resulting in reduced cell-surface transferrin-receptor expression. The receptor modulation was dose dependent, resulted in reduced 59Fe uptake by treated cells and was fully reversible within 24 h of culture in the absence of the compound. Pulse/chase analysis in conjunction with endoglycosidase-H digestion demonstrated that transferrin-receptor glycosylation was altered following N-butyldeoxynojirimycin treatment, which is compatible with glucosidase inhibition. In addition, modulation of transferrin receptor in response to N-butyldeoxynojirimycin was not confined to a single cell line, but was also observed with certain human lymphoid and myeloid cell lines. Mechanism(s) of action of the imino sugar resulting in reduced cell-surface transferrin-receptor expression are discussed.

Inhibition of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis does not impair growth or morphogenesis of the postimplantation mouse embryo.

Whole embryo culture (WEC) of organogenesis-stage mouse embryos was adapted for glycosphingolipid (GSL) metabolic studies to evaluate the hypothesis that de novo GSL biosynthesis is a prerequisite for growth and morphogenesis of the early postimplantation embryo. WEC supports the growth and development of postimplantation mouse embryos to stages that are indistinguishable from those achieved in vivo. N-Butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin (NB-DGJ) is an N-alkylated imino sugar that specifically inhibits biosynthesis of all glucosylceramide-based GSLs. NB-DGJ inhibited glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide biosynthesis nearly completely and inhibited ganglioside biosynthesis approximately 90% in both the embryo and visceral yolk sac. NB-DGJ also significantly reduced total ganglioside content in both the embryo and visceral yolk sac as estimated by the cholera toxin immunooverlay technique. A shift in expression from the structurally simple to the structurally complex gangliosides was also observed in NB-DGJ-treated embryos and yolk sacs. Despite causing major changes in GSL biosynthesis and composition, NB-DGJ had no effect on embryo viability, growth, or morphology. The findings suggest that de novo GSL biosynthesis may not be a prerequisite for the growth and morphogenesis of the organogenesis-stage mouse embryo.

High-performance cation-exchange chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection for the separation, detection, and quantitation of N-alkylated imino sugars in biological samples.

The use of imino sugars for the potential treatment of lysosomal glycolipid storage diseases and hepatitis virus infections requires accurate, quantitative measurement of these compounds in biological samples. We demonstrate here the versatility of cation-exchange chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection of a range of compounds that differ in both isometric structure and N-alkyl chain length. Although column retention appears dependent upon residual charge on the imine function, successful isocratic separation can be achieved by secondary hydrophobic interactions. A series of N-alkylated deoxynojirimycin compounds containing C(1-10) alkyl chains are readily separated and detected by pulsed amperometry after cation suppression. Using experimentally derived response factors for imino sugars and measurement of peak areas we have developed a reliable method for quantitatively determining concentrations in solution. A rapid protocol for the removal of protein and contaminants in biological samples is described. This has allowed the successful measurement of imino sugars in animal tissues and will be useful for understanding the factors involved in compound bioavailability and in the design of novel therapeutics.